Many different themes were explored in London Lives, a vibrant new art competition developed in partnership by Bankside Gallery, Cass Art and Network Rail, and supported by The Guardian. A diverse range of artworks poured in from as far afield as Cornwall and John O’ Groats and the exhibition shows the top 100 shortlisted works.
An image of a typical London council estate has taken the Gold medal award. The image, Life, by Leicester born artist Akash Bhatt was painted on used newspapers and shows of Wembley. It will be reproduced to a large scale and then emblazoned centrally on a hoarding line that runs along the eastern side of Blackfriars Road Bridge, where it will remain for one year and be seen by up to 10 million people. 

“My painting Life depicts people I saw over several days coming home from work near where I now live in Wembley. I don’t paint flowers and am more interested in the characters I see everyday, but in stirring settings. I believe my painting captures a view of ‘London Lives’ that a lot of people will recognise.” Akash Bhatt 

All work sold in the London Lives exhibition will see a donation made towards Cancer Research UK.

Gold Medal: Akash Bhatt, Life 

Silver Medal: Nigel Cox, The North Port Sanction 

Highly Commended: Helen Bridges, Susan Brown, Ashley Cecil, Anthony Dyson, Johnathan Farr, Fernando Feijoo, Stephen Fisher, Ed Gray, Johnathan Huxley, Claire Hynds, John James, Jing Jing Jiang, Frank Laws, Sasa Marinkov, Carl Phillips, David Questa, Jeffrey Rolph Richards, Michael Richardson, Tobias Till, Andrew Turnbull, Heather Jane Wallace

For images, see right